[Video Games] Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid) Forms New Independent Studio

For those of you who don't know, the creator and director for the Metal Gear Solid games is no longer part of Konami Digital Entertainment. It's a long story, but basically MGSV was the last game for Kojima and his studio as part of Konami. All of their contracts expired this month (few, if any, were renewed). Any future MGS games will be developed by Konami without any involvement from Kojima and his new studio (well...unless things change).

Today, it was revealed what Kojima has planned:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/annuTcmB1rw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
http://www.kojimaproductions.jp/
http://gamasutra.com/prnewswire.php...ories=GAMING-PURE&andorquestion=OR&&passDir=0

Basically, Kojima is forming a new "Kojima Productions." No specifics on members of the team besides himself, but I'm assuming many staff members are transitioning over from Konami. Sony has signed a deal with Kojima, and they will publish his first title (PS4/PC).

I'm just glad he's not stuck making mobile games.

 

I should clarify that it's not clear when the PC release will be. It's possible/likely that it might release first on PS4, then on PC 6-12 months later. Sony basically paid for console exclusivity, and I'm guessing Kojima and his studio will be in charge of publishing the game on Steam. The PC release date might depend on resources they have available for a PC release.

I mentioned it as PC/PS4 since those were the platforms mentioned, but in hindsight, it could be misleading to see it mentioned like that.

Kinda curious what technology they'll use. Fox Engine was really nice (especially with how it scaled), but not sure they can use it since that's Konami's property. They could create a new engine (based on similar tech), but that will take years. UE4 seems pretty nice, and if they went with that, we could probably see the game in action in a year or so (FF7 Remake is progressing rapidly following a similar plan with UE4).

 

Yeah, sorry about that. It's definitely planned (it's mentioned in the PR), and if the treatment MGSV received is any indication, I'd be fairly optimistic compared to some other games. But yeah, all we know is the PC release will be "after PS4." That could be one week, one month, one year, or one eternity.

Sony is funding the game, so unfortunately some of that is to be expected.

edit: Well apparently the PR that mentioned the PC release coming after PS4 has been removed. So yeah. Um. So I guess PS4/??? .

 

IGN did an interview with him:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/12...w-studio-edgy-playstation-game-and-the-future
Sounds like they're still trying to figure out things like what game engine to use. So still very early in the process.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't anticipate any work with ZOE or PT/Silent Hill (outside of spiritual successors). Maybe many years from now, if the bad blood dies and Konami is interested in AAA big budget games again. But unlikely.

The guy who created Silent Hill actually works for Sony (currently working on Gravity Rush IIRC). I guess he could work with Kojima on a future horror project, though don't think it would be this first game.

Kojima expressed a strong desire to work with Guillermo del Toro on a future project (and I believe del Toro expressed similar desires in the past), so maybe they can make things happen. Maybe a spiritual successor to PT.

I'd actually be curious to see Kojima do something not so focused on action, maybe similar to Policenauts or Snatcher. Could be simpler and easier to do, while allowing the team to focus on strong art, characters, story, etc., which they seem to have the talent for already (not sure they have a strong staff of programmers, artists, designers, etc). Though admittedly I'm concerned with Kojima's writing/stories lately. He's kinda hit and miss. Reminds me of David Cage actually. Great ideas/ambition, but probably needs someone else to reign him in. Then again, maybe that's just because of the craziness that is MGS and Konami.